Introduction

Released back in 1990 the Canon EF 35mm f/2 is one of the Methusalems in the current EOS lens line-up. On full format DSLRs it's a moderate wide-angle prime lens with typical applications such as street or low-light photography.

Regarding its construction it is closely related to its flanking brothers and sisters of that lens era, namely the EF 28mm f/2.8 and EF 24mm f/2.8. The build quality is fairly decent but it's a little dated by current standards. This is especially true for the focus ring which feels a little "scratchy". The lens extends a little when focusing towards closer distances but the front element does not rotate so using a polarizer is no problem.

The AF does rely on an old micro-motor so AF operations are a bit on the noisy side although there isn't anything to complain about regarding AF speed as well as AF accuracy. FTM (full-time manual focusing) is not available.